Mute for musical instruments



May 29, 1928. 1,671,818

E. L. ENGLISH MUTE FOR MUs'IcAL iNsTRuMENTs Filed Oct. 8, 1924 [/1 Z/e/z for:

Patented May 29, 1928.

:EARL Ii. ENGIJSH, or CHICAGQ-ILLINOIS.

more on MUSICAL I1vs 'rmurmurs.

Application med October a, 1924. Serial Ito/142355.

My invention relates to amute for musical instruments, such as the .c'ornet, trombone, trumpet, horn, and the "like, and is used :to soften and moderate the tones of such instruments; "and 'the main object of the in-,

vention isto provide a mute which is strong and durable andwill retainfits correct shape, and atthe'same time is light and inexpensive and-will 'alsoproduce a soft and'mellow tone.

"Several of the Imutes on the-market are made of 'papier mach or o'f fibre and usually have the larger end closed by a *disc or closure of "the same material, which is fastened tosaidend by the .use of an adhesive such as shellac. The'moisture which usually occurs in the instrument and around the mute, produced chiefly by the saliva and the breath, soon causes the adhesive to soften and thereby permits said end disc or closure to loosen and fall away; furthermore, said moisture also causes both ends of the mute, especially the smaller or tip end, to soften and get out of shape, thereby also injuring or destroying the desired tone effect of said mute. Andwhen such mutes drop out of the instrument and onto the floor, as often occurs, then the ends are frequently injured and broken, and the disc or closure with its adhesive is thereby loosened and falls from the mute. Some mutes are made of metal, like brass, and are thus too heavy in the instrument, while others are made of different metal, but do not produce the desired soft and mellow tones.

It is my special object and purpose to provide a mute which is light and at the same time strong and durable, and also produces a mellow tone, thus to overcome the above noted objections; and this I accomplish by using a light material, such as a fibrous material, for the conical body of the mute, and by reinforcing the ends as with a metal tip and cap, preferably of brass. A further object is to firmly fasten the frictional holding strips on the outside of the mute so that they will not become loose and drop away by reason of moisture in the instrument.

These, and other objects and advantageous ends are accomplished with my invention, as will become apparent from the following disclosure taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the preferred form of construction embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 'Sis a -view taken from the smaller end of the mute; and

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional viewytakenon line 44 of Fig. 2.

The preferred form of construction, "as illustrated,"comprises'a conical body portion 'or member 8 which *is constructed of a light and durable material, preferably a fibrous material, such as papier mach or fibre or the like. An annular protecting member "9 in the form of a turn-over collar, is clamped on the tipend of said bodym'ember 8 and embraces and clamps theinner and outer-sideofthe fibrous material at'said end'between 'its two folded' Walls. This collar is made of thin anti-rust metal, preferably of thin brass, in order to prevent said end of the fibrous material from softening and consequently fraying and becoming out of shape, and this snugly fitting brass collar will also assure a continued, uniform, mellow and subdued tone by the use of this mute.

The larger end of body member 8 is protected and covered by the use of a cap or closing means, which is also made of thin anti-rust metal, preferably thin brass, which closes said end air tight. This cap may consist of a frusto-conical shell or sleeve 10 and a circular end member 11, with an in-turned annular flange 12 thereon, which is clamped air tight over the end rim 10 on member 10, and may further be sealed air tight thereon by the use of solder. These parts 10 and 11 are preferably made in two parts, as shown, for convenience of mounting the sleeve 10 air tight and firmly on member 8, and then mounting the circular member 11 thereon by clamping flange 12 over rim 10, but if preferred parts 10 and 11 may also be made integral.

The cap is preferably fastened over the larger end of the body member 8 by curving an end portion or band 13 of sleeve 10 inward to tightly engage the surface of said member, and furthermore by denting or driving parts of the metal of said band inward to form projections or teeth 14 forced into the fibrous material of member 8, to positively hold said cap on said body member. Fingers 15 are furthermore also fastened on the inside of sleeve 10 with rivets 16, or in any approved manner, and extend inward into the laiger end of member 8 to clamp said end between said fingers and the band portion 13. Shellac may also be used men1bers, glue being used in additio'n to between band 13 and member 8. The cap is thus mounted firmly and air tight over said larger end and provides reinforcing and protecting means for this end oft-lie fibrous body member 8.

Frictional and compressible horn engag s, ing members or holding "members-'17, of

' fasten said holding members,thus positively preventingtheseefrictional engaging mem bers ,17- from loosening and falling away fromrmember 8, as is frequently, theease with the usual unites having ,tbe holding members fastenedthereon by theuse of ad; hesive material, only, which is loosened by the usual moisture inthe horn.

With the v above disclosediconstruction provide {Ii-Indie hich is light and at the same time strong durable and can withstand falling from the instrument and roughusage, and Whichirith-the use of the brass tip and cap also furnishes an especially mellow and subdued tone.

9 What I claim as my inventionand desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A mute'comprising a body of fibrous material, and a metal cap fastened over one "end' of said body'to cover said end and having indentations on saidv cap entering into said fibrous material and inner holding fingers Within said cap to securely fix said cap on said body. 1 Y 7 v e A mute comprising a frustoconical body of fibrous material, a cap niountedoyer the larger end of said body to cover the same and having meansengaging into the.

material of the body, and holding elements proyidedin saidcap for engaging the inner side of said end, to securely fix said cap on said body In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

V EARL L; "ENG SH, y 

